Grinding or polishing machine



Sept. 21 1926.

.H. J. HAYS GRINDING QR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1 24 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Se t. 21 1926. 1,600,282

H. J. HAYS GRINDING OH POLISHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 8, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3% WAUAWM 61/.

Sept. 21 1926.

H. J. HAYS GRINDING OR POLISHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed Jan. 8, 1924 fig. 3

gin/Wm 20 ing elements, which are so constructe 'arranged that when the sheet first ,enters' Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

' UNITED STATES HARRY J. HAYS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GRINDING OB POLISHING, MACHINE.

Application filed i'anuary a, 1924. Serial in. 055,000.

' l sheet or plate travels progressively through the machine past a series of indin and polishing units, where one or 0th si esof the sheet is ground and polished to the desired thickness and de ee of surface finish.

A further ob'ect o my invention is to provide a rin or polishing machine having'novg and simple means for receiv ing and conveying the sheet through the machine past a series of opposed rind the machine, it will be acted upon by a relatively coarse abrasive material and as it travels through the machine, will be progressively subjected to the action of finer abrasive and polishing materials, so that when the sheet leaves the discharge end of the machine, the same has been ground and finished to a predetermined thickness and the outer surfaces have received the required polish.

A further object of my invention is to provide a grinding or polishing machine for sheet. material, in which the faces of each pair .of grinding or polishing disks are oppositely disposed, an. in which novel means are provided for continuously feeding and re-feedin abrasive or polishing material to the workmg faces of the said disks of one or more units of the machine.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character having novel means for adjusting the grinding or olishing disks to accommodate different thicknesses of sheet or plate material, and furtherf'to provide a novel means-for permitting the machine to grind and polish different, widths of sheets or plates.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly} in section, showing two grinding or polishing units;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the ma chine, and, r

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the rlnachine taken on the line 33 of Figure Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates the upright members of the frame of the machine, each having feet 2 adapted to be secured to a floor or other supporting structure. These upright members 1 are joined by the lon itud nally extending beams 3 and 4 (see igure 2) and by the transverse, beams 5, The elements thus designated by the numerals 1 to 5 inclusive constitute the frame of the machine units, and it is to be understood that a number of these frames are to be placed in endwise relation to constitute a com lete machine, the number of such units epending upon the nature of thesheetmaterial being worked upon and the surface finish or polish r uired.

lidably mounted upon the opppsite sides of each leg 1, are the vertically adjustable bearing blocks 6, supporting the transverseshafts 8, on which are mounted the idler rollers or guides 7 To provide for the vertical adjustment of these idler rollers or guides 7, I provide guide ways 9 on each side of the legs 1 in which the bearing blocks 6 are vertically adjustable, The bearing blocks .are moved up and down by a system of adjusting links and levers, comprisingupper links 10 pivotally connected to thebearing blocks 6 and lower links 10 ivotally mounted on transverse shaft 11, w ich passes through the lower'longitudinal beam 4. The inner ends of the links 10 and 10. are pivotally connected to the longitudinal- 1y extending operating rod 12, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and it is thus obvious that longitudinal movement of the operating rod 12, which may be accomplished by any suitable gear or lever means, will cause a vertical movement or adjustment of the bearing blocks 6 and guide or idler rollers 7.

For causing the sheet material to feed or travel through a the machine, I provide aligned pairs of feed rollers 14, each of which consist of -an elastic cylinder of rubber-1'5, vulcanized to a vertically-extending drive shaft 16, rotatably mounted in an upper bearing located in the connecting brace drive shaft 21, driven by a suita 1e source of power such as an electric motor or the like, not shown. I

; The grindin or polishing elements of my Improved mac ine comprise opposed disks 22, each mounted at the inner end of a transmeans whereby the distance between the op-' versel'y extending tubular drive shaft 23, to which'the disks are secured by the lock-nut 24. The drive shaft 23 is rotatably mounted in bearings 25 and 26, between which is 10- Y cated the driving pulley 27, which is free to move longitudinally of. the shaft but which Is keyed to rotate therewith. To provide posed faces of the grinding or polishing elements 22 may be varied to accommodate various thicknesses of sheet or plate material 28, I mount on the tubular drive shafts 23 loose collars 30, on opposite sides of which are located the ball thrust bearings 31, conengage opposlte 'sides'of the loose collars 30.

the

- fined between collars 32, rigidly secured to the shafts 23. To accomplish the axial movement of the shafts 23 to vary the distance between the faces of opposed grinding elements 22, I provide operatin or adjust ing levers 33, the lower ends 0 which are pivotally connected near the base of the legs 1, and the upper ends of which are forked to The outward movements of the levers 33 is restricted by the coil springs 34, while the inward movement-of the levers is limited and controlled by the adjustable stop 29. It is thus obvious that the grinding and polishing disks 22 are free to move outwardly against the tension of the springs 34 and that the distance between the opposed faces of the disks is regulated'and controlled by the positioningpr adjustment of the stop 29.

Posltioned beside the machine is a series of vertically arranged, endless bucket conveyors 35, which deliver the abrasive material such as sand, emery, carborundum, or the like, through the chutes 36, into the hoprs 37, from whence it flows through the eliver pipes 38, through the hollow shafts 23 to t 'e faces of the grinding or polishing disks 22.. The chutes 38 from each supply hop r-may lead to one, two, three or more of t e grindin units, depending upon the requirements 0 the machine and the particular' sheet material being worked upon, each of the chutes 38 leading to the outer ends of hollow shafts 23 to which they are connected by suitable stuffing boxes 39.-

Each of the grind'ng units 22 is enclosed and separated by suitable housings or casings, each comprising a box-like structure being worked upon.

4:0, closed by a top 41, and each having a lower discharge chute 42, leading from the casings to the'bottoms of the conveyors 35. The opposite ends 43 of the casings 40 are each. provided with an elongated slot or opening, the marginal edges of which are providedwith rubber or leather wipers 44, which prevent the granular abrasive material from escaping from the housings 40 and which wipe or clean the surfaces of the plate or sheet as it passes throu h the machine to the next grinding or polis ing unit.

Referring to the operation of my improved machine, I will, for illustration, describe the .same as used to grind and polish sheet or plate glass suitable for windows, automobile Windshields, mirrors, desk and table covers,

and the like. Assume that for this particular use, four of the separate units shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings are placed endto end so that the faces of the several grinding and polishing units 22 are in perfect alignment. The first step of the operation consists in adjusting or regulating the distance between the opposed faces of each of the several grinders or polishers 22 so that the sheet or plate 28 will be ground and polished to the required thickness. This adjustment is accomplished by movement of the stops 29, which move the levels 33 and thus cause axial movement of the tubular drive shafts 23, to which the grindingor polishing disks 22 are attached. The next ste is to move the longitudinally extendin ro s 12, which act through the levers 10 an 10' and cause vertical movement of the bearing blocks 6 and idler rollers 7, on which the lower edge of the sheet 28 is supported. The position of the idler rollers 7 of course, depends upon the width of the plate or sheet A relatively coarse abrasive compound such as emery, sand, carborundum, or the like isnow inserted into the hopper 3.7 of the first unit of the assembled machine and suflicient water is added to assist in the circulation, of the i abrasive compound and in the initial grindnext successive unit is quantity of wet abrasive material of a finer grade than used in unit number 1, and into the hopper of the third unit of the assembly is placed a like quantity of abrasive material of a still finer grade. Hop er 37 of the fourth or last unit of the assem led machine is supplied with a quantity of fine pumice, roulge, or other high grade polishing materia The motive power foroperating the machine is now applied to the shaft 21, which drives the feed ,rollers 15; to the alloys 27, which rotate the grinding or olis ing disks 22; and to the pulleys 35 whic drive the conveyors 35. The sheet 28 is now placed in upright position with its lower edge resting lit on the first idler roller 7 and is then manually moved until it contacts with the first pair of feed. rollers 14 which 'frictionally engage .two grinding units act upon opposite surfaces of the sheet and due to the relatively coarse abrasive'employed in this first unit, the sheet is given its initial surface grinding. The grinding disks 22 are free to move apart a sufiicient distance to accommodate the thickness of the rough plate 28, and are under the tension of the 5 ring 34, which tends. to draw the disks toget er until the arms 33 strike the adjustable stops 29, which control the inward, movement of the grinding or polishing disks 22. The abrasive material sup lied to the disks 22 through the hollow sha t 23 is confined within the housin or casing 40 and drops into the inclined c ute 42 and into the lower end of the conveyor 35 the driven endless conveyor elevating the material and continuously feeding the same abrasive to the hoppers 37 for re-use, which re-use continues until the abrasive material has become too fine for use in this first unit.

After the sheet has been given its initial grinding in the first unit, it is fed forward to the second unit where it again is engaged by the opposed rinding disks 22 which are continuously fe with abrasive material in the same manner and by the same means employed in the first unit, the only difference being that the abrasive material employed in this second unit is of a finer grade to impart a smoother and more perfect finish to the surfaces of the sheet. After leaving this second unit, the sheet is fed by the feed rollers 14 to the third unit where a similar grinding operation takes place with a still ner grade of abrasive material. Upon entering the fourth unit, the sheet passes between two pairs of polishing disks each supplied, in the same manner and by the same means as in the previous units, with a finishing or polishing material such as pumice, rouge or the like. The sheet is then discharged fromthe end of the machine. a

It will thus be seen that I have provided an improved machine for. rinding or polishing sheet material, in w ich the rough or unfinished sheet is fed into the machine;

asses through a series of successive grindmg and polishing elements; and is dis char ed from the machine in a highly polishe and finished form. By passing the sheet through the machine. in the manner above described, where it is first subjected to the grinding action of a relatively coarse abrasi e material, next to the grinding attion of a finer grade of abrasive, next to the grinding or polishing action of a still finer grade, and finally to the finishing action of a polishing powder or rouge, I provide a complete and satisfactory machine and meth- 0d for accomplishing the purposes set forth and one which can be employed with the minimum of expense and labor. The continuous use of the abrasive material in each of the several units eflectsa marked saving in the cost of operation. When the abrasive compound used in the first units of the-machine has been used for a considerable length of time, it will be found that the granules or particles have been so reduced in size that it is nolonger a0 satisfactory to perform the initial grindm actions. This abrasive is then transferred to the next succeeding unit of the assembled machine, where it is re-used to perform successive grinding and polishing operations.

It is to be understood that while I have described the assembled machine as conisting of four units, that I am not restricted to this particular number and that various combinations of two, three, four, or more units may be employed to suit'the character of the sheet material being worked and the finish or polish required. I have chosen to describe my machine as used for grinding and polishing plate or sheet glass, but the same is well adapted for use in grinding and polishing sheet metal, slate, marble, stone, wood, and the like. It is to be further understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken no as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. In a grinding or polishing machine for sheet material, the combination with a supporting frame, of a series of rotary grinding or polishing elements mounted on'said frame, feed rollers for feeding the sheet through the machine past the several grinding or polishing elements, idler rollers for supporting the lower edge of the sheet material, and means for adjusting the vertical position of said idler rollers to accommodate varying widths of sheet material and to bring the center of the sheet material opposite the center of the faces of said grinding or polishing elements during its travel through the machine.

2. In a grinding or polishing machine for sheet material, the combination with a sup porting frame having upright leg members, 125 of a series of rotary grinding or polishing elements mounted on said frame, feed roll" ers for feeding the sheet through the machine past the several grinding or polishing elements, blocks slidably mounted on theuprightleg members of the frame,

idler rollers carried by said bearing blocks for supporting the lower edge of the sheetmaterial; and means for adjusting the vertravel through the machine.

3. In a grinding or polishing machine for sheet material, the combination with a supporting frame having upright leg members,

of a series of rotary grinding or polishing elements mounted on said frame, feed rollers for feeding the sheet through the machine past the several grinding or polishing elements, bearing blocks slidably mounted on the upright leg members of the frame, idler rollers carried by said bearing blocks for supporting the lower edge of the sheet material, links connected to each of the said bearlng blocks, and a common operating rod connected to said links for simultaneously adjusting the vertical position of said bearing blocks and the'id-ler rollers carried thereby to accommodate varying Widths of sheet material.

In'testimony whereof I hereunto aifixmy signature.

\ HARRY J. HAYS. 

